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We have an amazing opportunity to make London's bus rapid transit system the best possible BRT. We can become the first city in North America to electrify a bus rapid transit network from the very first day of operation.

By using electric buses, we can lower energy costs, reduce emissions and make our air cleaner. That benefits all Londoners.

And for transit riders, the smooth acceleration of an electric bus, along with the quiet operation of an electric motor, will make the ride much more like a light rail vehicle than a diesel bus. That improvement in the quality of transit service will help us achieve our ridership targets.

With an electric bus fleet operating in dedicated rapid transit lanes, we can combine the low capital costs of buses with the lower operational costs and environmental benefits of electric power.

Sign the Petition

If you would like to see City Council electrify BRT, please add your name to this petition. Spread the word on social media and in conversation with friends, family and colleagues.

Key Benefits of Electrifying BRT

On 5 July 2018, the rapid transit implementation working group heard a presentation from Dr Josipa Petrunic, executive director of CUTRIC, the Canadian Urban Transit Research Consortium, about detailed modelling that her organization has done for the electrification of London's BRT routes.

The CUTRIC modelling shows:

Annual energy cost savings of ~$862,564.

Annual reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) of 4,823 tonnes. That's an additional 100,000+ tonnes over the planning horizon of the project!

Buses would only need to charge between 3 and 4 minutes at the end of their routes.

Four overhead charging stations would be needed: one each at North, East, South and West ends of the routes.

The CUTRIC modelling was done using dedicated lanes and the specific topography of the planned routes. Running electric buses in mixed traffic would reduce the annual energy cost savings and increase the amount of time needed to charge at the end-of-route. So, in addition to being less reliable for transit riders, running electric buses in mixed traffic rather than dedicated lanes would also be more expensive from an operational perspective.

In addition to these direct benefits of electrification, the reduction in diesel emissions would also improve local air quality, but this was not part of the CUTRIC modelling.

Showing 260 reactions

Jeff Pastorius signed
2018-07-08 01:02:37 -0400

I agree with this direction regardless of the net fiscal savings. It is our duty, as global citizens, to reduce our output of GHGs . However I believe it to be tactically important to include metrics of the entire investment – including the additional upfront costs as well as the savings associated over the operational lifetime. What are the projected net savings, if any?

As long as we are going electric, why don’t we lay down a couple of rails for buses to ride on. But seriously this should be a given.

Sarah Howard signed
2018-07-07 14:01:37 -0400

Raymond Day signed
2018-07-07 11:21:33 -0400

Raymond . Wonderful system for cutting diesel pollution.

Michael MacKenzie signed
2018-07-07 11:17:04 -0400

Electric buses are definitely the way to go! Battery costs will only go down and life span increase by time BRT is operational.

Michael MacKenzie

Ted Town signed
2018-07-07 11:14:26 -0400

Bradley Dudley signed
via Jesse Helmer2018-07-07 10:44:17 -0400

Greg Thompson signed
2018-07-07 09:46:42 -0400

Krista Sawchuk signed
2018-07-07 09:19:06 -0400

Janice Howell signed
2018-07-07 09:12:57 -0400

The maintenance cost is also very low.

I was told in London Ont , Coca Cola has a fleet of electric trucks (may want to check out the success of their system)

Mark Anderson signed
2018-07-07 08:32:26 -0400

ryan parsons signed
via Charlene Quirk2018-07-07 08:29:23 -0400

Jodi Simpson signed
via Lincoln McCardle2018-07-07 08:14:35 -0400

Common Council! Let’s get this right for future of our city! Lower energy costs, reduce emissions, cleaner air, quiet, smooth and modern buses and rides on dedicated bus lanes would show the world that we are moving in the right direction. Please make the right decision on this.

Louise Hollingsworth
posted about this
on Facebook2018-07-07 07:28:21 -0400

I just assumed they would be electric… I guess I should have known better

Kevin May signed
via Jesse Helmer2018-07-07 06:51:24 -0400

Aaron Lawrence signed
2018-07-07 00:33:45 -0400

Aaron Lawrence

Travis Parker signed
2018-07-07 00:32:53 -0400

David Wrather signed
2018-07-06 23:31:29 -0400

I have an all-electric car and the maintenance is significantly lower than an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. My return of investment (ROI) was only 4 years. The bus Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) should also highlight the lifecycle cost savings for all aspects of O&M, not just fuel. We should also be illustrating the ROI for the busses. Let’s do just do it!.